British Hockey League
Great Britain |champion=Sheffield Steelers |TV= BBC |ceo= }} The British League (note: never actually called the "British Hockey League" was the top-flight ice hockey league in the United Kingdom from 1982 until 1996, when it was replaced by the Ice Hockey Superleague and the British National League. The league replaced three regional leagues: the Inter-City League in southern England, the English League North in northern England and the Northern League in Scotland. The league was sponsored by Heineken from 1983 until 1993 and during this period was best known as the Heineken League. The league changed format several times. There was Division 1 for season 1982/83 with three separate conferences - or groups - playing a complicated interlocking schedule. The 1982/83 season saw a Division 2 with north and south sections and Division 3 for clubs with substandard home rinks and university teams. The league structure was realigned for the 1983/84 season under with a big sponsorship deal from Heineken. A single top level Premier Division was formed from the top teams from the previous 3 group league, with the rest forming a new national Division One along with the best of former Division 2 teams. This was split into North and South conferences for the 87/88 and 93/94 seasons. The third-tier Division Two was founded in 1987, renamed English Division One the following season and split from the league in 1992. Premier Division Teams *Ayr Raiders (formerly Ayr Bruins) (82 - 92) *Basingstoke Bison (formerly Basingstoke Beavers) (93 - 96) *Billingham Bombers (formerly Cleveland Bombers) (82 - 87; 90 - 93) *Bracknell Bees (91 - 95) *Cardiff Devils (89 - 96) *Dundee Rockets (later Dundee Tigers, then Tayside Tigers) (82 - 89) *Durham Wasps (82 - 96) *Fife Flyers (82 - 91; 92 - 96) *Humberside Hawks (formerly Humberside Seahawks) (91 - 96) *Milton Keynes Kings (94 - 96) *Murrayfield Racers (later Edinburgh Racers) (82 - 95) *Newcastle Warriors (95 - 96) *Nottingham Panthers (82 - 96) *Peterborough Pirates (known as Norwich and Peterborough Pirates for season 91/92) (85 - 86; 87 - 95) *Sheffield Steelers (93 - 96) *Slough Jets (95 - 96) *Solihull Barons (86 - 91) *Southampton Vikings (84 - 85) *Streatham Redskins (formerly Streatham Reds) (82 - 89) *Teesside Bombers (93 - 94) *Whitley Warriors (82 - 95) Champions * 1982-83 Dundee Rockets * 1983-84 Dundee Rockets * 1984-85Durham Wasps *1985-86 Durham Wasps * 1986-87 Murrayfield Racers * 1987-88 Murrayfield Racers * 1988-89 Durham Wasps * 1989-90 Cardiff Devils * 1990-91 Durham Wasps * 1991-92 Durham Wasps * 1992-93 Cardiff Devils * 1993-94 Cardiff Devils * 1994-95 Sheffield Steelers * 1995-96 Sheffield Steelers Division One Teams *Aviemore Blackhawks (87 - 88) *Ayr Raiders (92 - 93) *Basingstoke Beavers (90 - 93) *Billingham Bombers (formerly Cleveland Bombers, then Teesside Bombers) (87 - 90; 94 - 96) *Blackburn Hawks (formerly Blackburn Blackhawks) (93 - 96) *Blackpool Seagulls (83 - 88) *Bournemouth Stags (83 - 87) *Bracknell Bees (90 - 91; 95 - 96) *Cardiff Devils (87 - 89) *Chelmsford Chieftans (93 - 96) *Deeside Dragons (87 - 89) *Dumfries Vikings (later Dumfries Border Vikings) (93 - 96) *Fife Flyers (91 - 92) *Glasgow Saints (formerly Glasgow Dynamos and Glasgow Eagles) (83 - 89; 90 - 91) *Guildford Flames (93 - 96) *Humberside Seahawks (89 - 91) *Kirkcaldy Kestrels (86 - 87) *Lee Valley Lions (86 - 95) *Manchester Storm (95 - 96) *Medway Bears (86 - 91; 92 - 96) *Milton Keynes Kings (91 - 94) *Murrayfield Royals (95 - 96) *Oxford City Stars (86 - 87; 93 - 94) *Paisley Pirates (93 - 96) *Peterborough Pirates (83-85, 86-87, 95 - 96) *Richmond Flyers (83 - 89) *Romford Raiders (88 - 89; 90 - 95) *Sheffield Steelers (92 - 93) *Slough Jets (86 - 95) *Solihull Barons (83 - 86, 93 - 96) *Southampton Vikings (83-84, 85 - 88) *Streatham Redskins (89 - 90; 93 - 94) *Sunderland Chiefs (originally played as Crowtree Chiefs 83-89) *Swindon Wildcats ( - 96) *Telford Tigers (86- 96) *Trafford Metros (originally played as Altrincham Aces 83-92; 93 - 95) Champions * 1983-84 Southampton Vikings * 1984-85 Peterborough Pirates * 1985-86 Solihull Barons * 1986-87 Peterborough Pirates *1987-88 North - Cleveland Bombers *1987/88 South - Telford Tigers * 1988-89 Cardiff Devils * 1989-90 Slough Jets * 1990-91 Humberside Seahawks * 1991-92 Slough Jets *1992-93 Basingstoke Beavers * 1993-94 North - Milton Keynes Kings *1993/94 South - Slough Jets * 1994-95 Slough Jets * 1995-96 Manchester Storm English Division One Champions * 1987-88 Romford Raiders (Division Two) * 1988-89 Humberside Seahawks * 1989-90 Bracknell Bees * 1990-91 Milton Keynes Kings * 1991-92 Medway Bears See also *British ice hockey league champions Category:Defunct ice hockey leagues Category:Ice hockey in Great Britain Category:Established in 1982 Category:Disestablished in 1996